How Long You Use Your Christmas Tree Determines What You Should Buy | Newswise – Newswise

Report on Christmas Tree Sustainability and Sustainable Development Goals

Executive Summary

A report based on analysis from Virginia Tech sustainability expert Jennifer Russell examines the environmental impact of choosing between real and artificial Christmas trees, framing the decision within the context of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The primary finding indicates that consumer usage patterns are critical in determining the more sustainable option, directly impacting progress toward goals such as SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production), SDG 13 (Climate Action), and SDG 15 (Life on Land).

Life Cycle Assessment and SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production

The principle of life cycle assessment is central to understanding the environmental footprint of consumer products, a core target of SDG 12. This analysis evaluates a product from resource extraction to end-of-life disposal. The comparison between real and artificial trees highlights distinct life cycle impacts.

• Artificial Trees:
  • Production: Manufactured from plastics (PVC) and metals, requiring extraction of oil and other raw materials, which carries a high initial environmental cost.
  • Transportation: Often manufactured overseas, resulting in a significant carbon footprint from long-distance shipping.
  • Usage: To align with responsible consumption patterns, an artificial tree must be reused for a minimum of seven to ten years to offset its production and transport impacts.
  • Disposal: Typically non-recyclable, contributing to landfill waste and failing to support circular economy principles.
• Real Trees:
  • Production: Grown on farms, utilizing resources like land, water, and fertilizer.
  • Transportation: Generally sourced locally, resulting in a lower transportation footprint compared to artificial trees.
  • Usage: Serves as a single-use product annually.
  • Disposal: Can be composted or mulched, returning nutrients to the soil and participating in a circular, regenerative system that supports responsible production cycles.

Implications for Climate Action (SDG 13) and Life on Land (SDG 15)

The choice of a Christmas tree has direct consequences for climate and terrestrial ecosystems, aligning with the objectives of SDG 13 and SDG 15.

1. Climate Action (SDG 13): During their growth period, real trees actively support climate action by absorbing and sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The high-impact manufacturing process and global transport of artificial trees contribute more significantly to greenhouse gas emissions initially.
2. Life on Land (SDG 15): Tree farms, while managed, represent a form of land use that maintains green space. More importantly, the end-of-life phase for real trees supports SDG 15. Biodegradable disposal through composting or mulching enriches soil and avoids land degradation associated with landfills. In contrast, the disposal of artificial trees in landfills contributes to land pollution and waste accumulation.

Conclusion: Aligning Consumer Choice with Sustainability Goals

Achieving sustainability is contingent on informed consumer behavior and available infrastructure. According to the analysis by Jennifer Russell, an associate professor in Virginia Tech’s Department of Sustainable Biomaterials, the decision is not universal but depends on individual commitment and local systems.

• To support SDG 12, consumers opting for an artificial tree must commit to its reuse for at least seven to ten years.
• If long-term reuse is unlikely, purchasing a real tree annually is the superior environmental choice, particularly when disposed of through community composting or mulching programs that support a circular economy.
• The consumer’s decision directly influences outcomes related to responsible resource management, climate mitigation, and the health of terrestrial ecosystems.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production
   • The entire article is centered on this goal. It analyzes the environmental impacts of two consumer choices—a real versus an artificial Christmas tree—to guide responsible consumption. It discusses the full life cycle of the products, from raw material extraction (“plastics and metals that require oil”) and production (“higher production impacts”) to use and disposal (“composted or mulched” vs. “end up in landfills”). The expert’s focus on “life cycle analysis” directly aligns with the principles of sustainable production and consumption.
2. SDG 13: Climate Action
   • The article connects the choice of a Christmas tree to climate change. It explicitly mentions that real trees “absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,” which is a key component of climate change mitigation. Conversely, the production of artificial trees from “oil and other raw materials” and their “longer transport distances” imply a carbon footprint that contributes to climate change.
3. SDG 15: Life on Land
   • This goal is relevant through the discussion of land use and ecosystem health. Real trees are grown on farms, “using land, fertilizer, and fuel.” Their proper disposal through composting or mulching “return[s] nutrients to the soil,” contributing to soil health. In contrast, the disposal of artificial trees in landfills contributes to land degradation and waste accumulation, impacting terrestrial ecosystems.
4. SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities
   • The article touches upon waste management, a critical component of sustainable communities. It highlights the different disposal pathways for each type of tree and notes that sustainability depends on “community recycling options.” This links the individual consumer’s choice to the larger infrastructure for waste management within a community, such as composting facilities versus landfill dependency.

2. Specific SDG Targets

1. Target 12.2: Achieve the sustainable management and efficient use of natural resources.
   • The article directly addresses this by comparing the resources used for both types of trees. Real trees use “land, fertilizer, and fuel,” while artificial trees are “made from plastics and metals that require oil and other raw materials.” The analysis aims to help consumers make a choice that leads to more efficient use of these resources over the product’s lifetime.
2. Target 12.5: Substantially reduce waste generation through prevention, reduction, recycling and reuse.
   • This target is central to the article’s conclusion. The concept of reuse is the deciding factor for artificial trees, which must be “reused for seven to ten years” to be sustainable. The article also discusses a form of recycling for real trees, which “can be composted or mulched.” The alternative, landfilling artificial trees, represents a failure to reduce waste.
3. Target 12.8: Ensure that people everywhere have the relevant information and awareness for sustainable development and lifestyles.
   • The article itself is an instrument for achieving this target. By quoting an expert, Jennifer Russell, it provides consumers with the necessary information based on “life cycle analysis” to make an informed, sustainable decision about their Christmas tree, thereby promoting a sustainable lifestyle.
4. Target 11.6: Reduce the adverse per capita environmental impact of cities, including by paying special attention to… municipal and other waste management.
   • The discussion on disposal methods directly relates to municipal waste management. Whether a real tree is composted or an artificial tree is sent to a landfill depends on the “community recycling options” available, which are part of a city’s waste management system.

3. Mentioned or Implied Indicators

1. Duration of product use (reuse rate)
   • The article provides a specific, measurable indicator for the sustainable use of an artificial tree: it “must be reused for seven to ten years.” This timeframe serves as a direct metric to assess progress towards Target 12.5 (waste reduction through reuse).
2. Waste disposal method (recycling vs. landfill rate)
   • The article implies indicators related to waste management. Progress could be measured by the percentage of real trees that are “composted or mulched” versus thrown away, and the number of artificial trees that “end up in landfills.” This helps measure the effectiveness of community waste systems under Target 11.6.
3. Use of life cycle assessments (LCA)
   • The expert’s statement, “We use life cycle analysis to understand these impacts,” implies that the application of LCA methodologies is an indicator of informed and sustainable production and consumption. The prevalence of such analyses for consumer goods would measure progress towards providing the information needed for Target 12.8.

Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: newswise.com